Renting a car in Chile + driving conditions

Hello,

I am thinking about renting a car for the transfer from the airport in Santiago to Valparaiso.

I realize that driving in a foreign country is always a little difficult but I have done so in a few country now I wonder if the traffic and driving behavior will be only a little different or is it impossible to drive there as it is just way too different and dangerous.....as it would be for example in Egypt one of the country's I would not consider driving as a foreigner......

Thanks for your input!

Hello,

 

I am thinking about renting a car for the transfer from the airport in Santiago to Valparaiso.

 

I realize that driving in a foreign country is always a little difficult but I have done so in a few country now I wonder if the traffic and driving behavior will be only a little different or is it impossible to drive there as it is just way too different and dangerous.....as it would be for example in Egypt one of the country's I would not consider driving as a foreigner......

 

Thanks for your input!

If you can drive in California, you can handle Chile well. The scenery looks about the same in the Northern area of Chile. The road from the airport to Valparaiso is primarily toll road interstate. Lots of little, well paved roads to wineries on the way. DO NOT forget Chilean pesos to pay the toll-they REALLY do not like US dollars on the toll road. There is even a Mickey D's in one of the toll plazas.

OT-Try driving in Kuwait if you want a thrill. The lines in the roads are "merely a suggestion". They straddle the lines, weave from lane to lane (NOT changing lanes, just drive wherever they want). They drive from 90MPH to 20MPH on the same freeway-not even a happy medium of a "slow" driver in the right hand lane like in the USA. It is all out or almost stopped. I drove almost daily back and forth from the military base into Kuwait City for work (about 30 miles). It is a real rush when you come up on a car in the middle or left hand lane doing 20 and you are doing 70 and all the other lanes are full. One BIG reason there is NO booze in Kuwait-they had many, many severe accidents. Liquor has only been banned for about 40 years in Kuwait. Daily trips to Basra, Iraq are made for booze. There are MANY, MANY very severe accidents on that road. Getting caught in Kuwait with booze is punishable by hanging.

Enjoy your trip to Chile. I just flew into Peru last night from Santiago (work, not fun). I drive all over Chile and never have a problem.

I have driven from Venice to Naples, Italy. It was great but I did avoid going into the center of cities, especially Naples. I would like to rent a car and drive from Santiago to Valparaiso but haven't found a rental that lets you drop off the car in Val. If you find one that does please post it. Also if you find out you need an international license I would like to know.

Judee

I would like to rent a car and drive from Santiago to Valparaiso but haven't found a rental that lets you drop off the car in Val. If you find one that does please post it.

Judee, I've been following this thread for a couple of years now and I have a vague recollection of someone talking about dropping a car in Valparaiso. I cruised in 2009 so the post must go back to 2008 or maybe even before.

I have driven from Venice to Naples, Italy. It was great but I did avoid going into the center of cities, especially Naples. I would like to rent a car and drive from Santiago to Valparaiso but haven't found a rental that lets you drop off the car in Val. If you find one that does please post it. Also if you find out you need an international license I would like to know.

 

Judee

Rosselot (which is a Chilean car dealer that rents cars) is the only one that I know of that is currently renting one way rentals. Avis used to do it but quit about 12-18 months ago. I just returned an Avis rental Friday afternoon (RT from SCL) and asked if they were going to start the one ways again. They said they are "thinking" of it. All the majors are at SCL but they only rent RT.

Keep an eye on Advantage Car rentals (the USA Advantage). They had partnered with Rosselot for many years, then quit when Hertz got involved/bought out/bought part of Advantage. But I see that Advantage is now again renting cars in BA, Quito and a few other SA countries. So renting through Advantage USA may again become an option.

Otherwise, Rosselot provides a very satisfactory service. The prices include FULL INSURANCE. Will cost about $100-125US per day. http://www.rosselot.cl/ (click rent a car, the British flag for the English language version)

Judee, I've been following this thread for a couple of years now and I have a vague recollection of someone talking about dropping a car in Valparaiso. I cruised in 2009 so the post must go back to 2008 or maybe even before.

This is a new thread started just a few days ago and it is current info. I just left Santiago on Friday night for Lima (business).

This is a new thread started just a few days ago and it is current info. I just left Santiago on Friday night for Lima (business).

Do you drive in Lima? One of the worst cities I've seen on a par with Mexico City, Rome, Thailand.

Europeans seem more disaplined about lane useage and changes than anywhere else.

I have driven from Venice to Naples, Italy. It was great but I did avoid going into the center of cities, especially Naples. I would like to rent a car and drive from Santiago to Valparaiso but haven't found a rental that lets you drop off the car in Val. If you find one that does please post it. Also if you find out you need an international license I would like to know.

 

Judee

Hello

we have just rented a car for Dec in Santiago one way to Valparaiso with

http://www.contactchile.cl Tel (+56-2)2641719. They specialise in service for Germans but I think you can contact them as well

Heidi

Hello

we have just rented a car for Dec in Santiago one way to Valparaiso with

http://www.contactchile.cl Tel (+56-2)2641719. They specialise in service for Germans but I think you can contact them as well

Heidi

Please check this out THOROUGHLY. I contacted them as I will need another one way rental in December (business). They wanted to put a $1500 hold on my credit card AND they would only rent for 5 days or longer. Don't need the car that long (4 days max) and sure am not letting anyone put a $1500 hold on my credit card for a car rental that would equal about $400 INCLUDING full insurance. AND they have a deductible on their insurance-THAT was their reasoning for the huge hold.

Maybe they do well for Germans but I was astounded by what they wanted.

Thanks for everyones suggestions. I did contact on company and they quoted me $101.00 rental from Santiago with drop off in Valpariaso. We have decided to take the bus there. I have been told they are delux buses and very safe. I have taken delux buses in Mexico and they were very nice. The cost should not exceed $30.00 for both of us.

Judee

Thanks for everyones suggestions. I did contact on company and they quoted me $101.00 rental from Santiago with drop off in Valpariaso. We have decided to take the bus there. I have been told they are delux buses and very safe. I have taken delux buses in Mexico and they were very nice. The cost should not exceed $30.00 for both of us.

 

Judee

Please be aware of two things: You have to get to the main bus station in downtown Santiago to catch the bus. So that means either a taxi from the airport to downtown (about $30-35) or try to hassle your cruise luggage on the local bus/metro.

AND the buses from Santiago to Vina are mostly NOT the deluxe buses they have all over South America (sleeper seats, food, etc). I think there are one or two sleeper buses a day that go just about the entire length of Chile. One leaves very early in the morning, the other about 10 at night. The rest of the buses (the frequent ones) that run between Vina/Valpo and Santiago are intercity buses (glorified city buses-some without under the bus luggage storage-you have to schlepp your luggage onto the bus). TurBus, IMHO is the better of the bus companies but a lot still depends on what bus actually shows up. I once booked a cama suite (full flat bed with food and privacy dividers) and the bus that showed up had only reclining seats, no food and NO AC!!! What a hot and miserable trip.

One other thing-IF you are traveling in high season (and particularly on a Friday afternoon-Sunday timeframe), there may or may not be tickets available for the bus you want. You may want to make reservations or purchase tickets online.

Just a few FYI's from someone who spends quite a bit of time in Chile for business.

Please be aware of two things: You have to get to the main bus station in downtown Santiago to catch the bus. So that means either a taxi from the airport to downtown (about $30-35) or try to hassle your cruise luggage on the local bus/metro.

 

AND the buses from Santiago to Vina are mostly NOT the deluxe buses they have all over South America (sleeper seats, food, etc). I think there are one or two sleeper buses a day that go just about the entire length of Chile. One leaves very early in the morning, the other about 10 at night. The rest of the buses (the frequent ones) that run between Vina/Valpo and Santiago are intercity buses (glorified city buses-some without under the bus luggage storage-you have to schlepp your luggage onto the bus). TurBus, IMHO is the better of the bus companies but a lot still depends on what bus actually shows up. I once booked a cama suite (full flat bed with food and privacy dividers) and the bus that showed up had only reclining seats, no food and NO AC!!! What a hot and miserable trip.

 

One other thing-IF you are traveling in high season (and particularly on a Friday afternoon-Sunday timeframe), there may or may not be tickets available for the bus you want. You may want to make reservations or purchase tickets online.

 

Just a few FYI's from someone who spends quite a bit of time in Chile for business.

How about a taxi? Does anybody know how much it will cost from Santiago to Vinha by Taxi?

We disembark in Valparaiso and will rent a car on Nov. 26 to 28 and driving to the wine country, returning evening of the 28th and dropping the car at SCL. Is there a preference on the Rosselot office to pickup the car or is Valparaiso office the choice due to its proximity to the port? Our command of spanish is "porquito", we are wondering if this is a big liability at Rosselot?

How about a taxi? Does anybody know how much it will cost from Santiago to Vinha by Taxi?

$125-150 and you will have to negotiate with a driver to take you there. You MAY be better off making this arrangement IN ADVANCE unless you speak fluent Spanish.

We disembark in Valparaiso and will rent a car on Nov. 26 to 28 and driving to the wine country, returning evening of the 28th and dropping the car at SCL. Is there a preference on the Rosselot office to pickup the car or is Valparaiso office the choice due to its proximity to the port? Our command of spanish is "porquito", we are wondering if this is a big liability at Rosselot?

I have never rented in Valparaiso, only in Vina. I prefer the Libertad office but Alvarez is slightly closer to the port. Either office is NO MORE than a $20.00 cab ride from the port. But unless you have made advance reservations with a cab/car service, you do have to walk your luggage outside the port area to get a cab. They are NOT allowed into the port without a special permit. Short walk, lots of cabs waiting around. Have the address you want to go to written out before. But there are car services/taxis that have access into the port and you may be able to hop a ride there.

I have heard you can take the subway to the Bus station and it does not take too long and the buses run frequently?:confused:

We will not have a lot of luggage as we fly in.....so 20 kg is the limit anyway.:rolleyes:

Does anyone have suggestions for renting in Punta Arenas?

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We had no issues renting a car in Chile this past Feb. Roads are fine. We disembarked at Valpo, spent a few days, bused to Santiago. Stayed there for a few days, then bussed out to airport and picked up a car. Toured the wine valley for a few days. I think we used Avis. We wanted to pick the car up on a Sunday and no rental offices seemed to be open in Santiago on that day.

Roads were fine. Driving was the same as anywhere else, including home.